Celebrating Muslim Eid today as an Ambassador of Goodwill

A dear friend from here on ATS suggested to me over the weekend as the new crescent moon appeared
marking important Holidays for the Islamic and Jewish faiths this weekend that one or both sides might use it
as a portentous occasion to attack each other militarily or each other militarily and Western Christian Nations too.

I did not place much stock in that but I did take the time to familiarize myself with these Holidays on a rudimentary basic knowledge level, and found
out courtesy of CNN that Eid, the Islamic Holiday is 3 days and nights of gift giving, feasting and celebrating that to Muslims is like Christmas,
Thanksgiving and New Years all rolled in to one.

I am sure there is probably more to it, but as an agnostic I have less interest in the more than I do the basic principal of celebrating friends,
neighbors and family and loved ones, and sharing, giving and feasting.

It sounded in fact like a nice thing, the giving and feasting which are both things I love to do!

So I determined that I would do something to celebrate Eid today and made a mental checklist of the Muslim shopkeepers in my neighborhood and decided
a gift of simple fruits and nuts combined with happy Holiday wishes would be in order.

CNN said that many of the estimated 4-6 million Muslims who live here in the United States feel that celebrating Eid here in the U.S. doesn’t have
the same universal joy or festivity as it does in Muslim nations and that saddens them.

If there is one thing I hate its sad people! So I thought what a wonderful way to cheer their spirits and perhaps broaden their own perspectives as I
broadened mine and to personally give some Eid gifts to the local Muslims and wish them Happy Holidays.

I must confess I felt a little awkward playing Eid Claus for the first time. The perfect gift and what to wear is daunting for any Holiday!

Yet to my own joy and amazement and to theirs too as I made my rounds and presented my gifts to these at first highly baffled and startled Muslims as
I explained I wasn’t religious but thought it was a wonderful Holiday and wished to help them celebrate it by feeling this same universal comity and
good will in my own heart by giving and sharing with them, oh did their faces light up with smiles.

I got some very tasty cookies and pastries in return for my nuts, proving that being nuts, and doing what might seem as nutty things aren’t that
bad.

I have long thought peace can be obtained between all the peoples of the earth through giving, sharing, and understanding and respecting one another.

Today I put my money, mouth and time, where my mouth and thoughts have long been.

While the governments of the world beat their war drums, perhaps it’s time for the citizens of the world to celebrate their differences instead of
trying to eliminate them?

I do have to say they were some darn tasty cookies at that.

Peace and Love can win the day, we just have to invest in it and show some.

(CNN) -- Muslims around the world woke up Sunday and welcomed the end of a long month of fasting with hearty greetings of "Eid Mubarak," or
happy festivities.

The faithful were ushering in Eid al-Fitr -- three days of celebrations that Muslims mark with joyous community prayers, acts of charity, visits from
far-flung relatives, gift-giving and elaborate feasts.

"Think Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's -- all rolled into one. It's that huge for us," said Sajjad Aziz of Hoboken, New Jersey.

Islam follows a lunar calendar, and the timing of Eid al-Fitr varies around the world depending on when the crescent of a new moon is sighted.

So, while most countries -- including the United States -- observed Eid on Sunday, some will begin their celebrations on Monday.

The night before Eid, entire communities gather on rooftops, scanning the sky with giddy anticipation.

This last part sounds a lot like the night before Christmas to me!

On the morning of Eid, Muslims don new clothes and head to prayers that are often held in open fields to accommodate crowds too big to contain in
mosques.

Those who can afford it donate a small percentage of their possession or its equivalent to the poor and needy so they too can avail themselves for the
celebrations. Feasts await at every house.

"It's a festival principally about community. We're even asked to take a different route when we walk back from prayers so that we can meet
different sets of people to greet and celebrate with," said Wasim Iqbal of Karachi, Pakistan.

Sounds like a nice way to share love and share the good things and tidings we have all been fortunate enough to be given and have.

For Muslims in North America -- and countries where they are the minority -- Eid is a more subdued affair.

"If you have family close by, then you can kind of capture the mood that you remember from back home," said Abdallah Gamal, a native of Egypt who
lives in St. Louis, Missouri. "But it's not the same."

Because the U.S. Census does not ask about religious affiliation, it is difficult to gauge the Muslim population in the United States. The Pew Muslim
American study conducted two years ago estimated it at 2.5 million, while the Council on American-Islamic Relations places it as high as 6 million.

On Saturday, both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton offered greetings to American Muslims.

Like the President and the Ambassador I decided to offer my own personal greetings and to celebrate here locally in the modest way that I can.

Some will say I have a naive world view that is dangerous.

All I am saying though is give peace a chance and what better way to display you want peace than celebrating the differences other people have and
reaching out to them and saying you love them and celebrate with them all the same.

It can't really hurt, but it could really help, when people instead of governments cause peace and love to break out everywhere!

Originally posted by _Phoenix_
You've gained my respect, that's how the world should be.

Eid is a great time for muslim families, it has a gift of bringing everyone closer together, so why not the world too?

Good for you.
Peace

[edit on 20-9-2009 by _Phoenix_]

Thank you I felt great doing it. All the people I gave gifts to work long tedious back breaking hours behind counters at shops that provide me with
important things to the quality of my life, and they them selves are always polite, good natured and kind when I shop there.

I can't think of anyone more deserving or rememberence or consideration on a day that's very important to them, especially when their own
responsibilities cause them to have to work.

I really enjoyed celebrating a few moments with them, giving to them and recieving in return.

Originally posted by Haydn_17
Now we need muslims to celebrate christmas and easter!

Perhaps instead of wanting Muslims to celebrate Christmas and Easter, perhaps all the Christians could consider celebrating Ramadan and Eid.

Or, perhaps Christians could learn, JUST ONCE, to live and let live. To enjoy your own personal beliefs, to celebrate your own faith, and to stop
wishing that those with different faiths bend to yours.

Originally posted by Haydn_17
Now we need muslims to celebrate christmas and easter!

Perhaps instead of wanting Muslims to celebrate Christmas and Easter, perhaps all the Christians could consider celebrating Ramadan and Eid.

Or, perhaps Christians could learn, JUST ONCE, to live and let live. To enjoy your own personal beliefs, to celebrate your own faith, and to stop
wishing that those with different faiths bend to yours.

A Joyous Eid to you all.

I only know one thing for certain friend, that paying my respects and well wishes and happy holidays to some people I have always and long considered
nice and wonderful people brought real smiles to their faces and hearts and a real smile to my face and heart.

If I have one question it would be, why isn't every day like that for all of us?

In the meantime though it's sure nice to celebrate with other people the things that are important and mean something to them. It shows that in so
doing they are important and mean something as people and friends.

You mention celebrating differences. I live between Montana, Central America, and Mexico. I travel a lot. Any ways the first few months out of the
USA were horrid.

It took me several months to go past hating the Latin culture before I started liking it. The differences in overall culture are immense, but the
basics of necessary life, and relationships are similar.

The Elite count on the differences, perceived differences, or intolerance of another culture to fuel their created, and necessary wars.

All We need to do is learn to be tolerant, and understand the vast differences in culture, society the World over; things will change

You mention celebrating differences. I live between Montana, Central America, and Mexico. I travel a lot. Any ways the first few months out of the
USA were horrid.

It took me several months to go past hating the Latin culture before I started liking it. The differences in overall culture are immense, but the
basics of necessary life, and relationships are similar.

The Elite count on the differences, perceived differences, or intolerance of another culture to fuel their created, and necessary wars.

All We need to do is learn to be tolerant, and understand the vast differences in culture, society the World over; things will change

[edit on 20-9-2009 by sanchoearlyjones]

Once upon a time when Dinosaur Rock ruled the land I played in a band based out of Billings. Livingston Montanna is one of my favorite places in the
world. What a fun little town.

I married a Mexican woman years later when I lived in Los Angeles, and live today in Miami. Miami is home to Cubans, Columbians, Nigaruagans,
Venezuallans, Hatians, Russians, even a few Ashians, and since it's full of ans...even me an honest to goodness born in America, American!

It took a long time just to learn the cultural traits of most Miamians as they are well not really common ones anywhere.

I found it very frustrating at first because in the North Eastern Culture life revolves around tipping and buying service.

For Caribbean peoples trying to buy better service with a tip is considered an insult! They don't see themselves as being for sale that cheaply or
plainly.

Yet in time I found out a cup of Icecream goes a lot further to gaining a waiters attention and respect on a hot summers day than a picture of Jackson
or Grant.

I found out that a gift on a waitresses birthday of an English to Spanish Pictionary goes a lot further than a picture of Franklin or Washington.

I found that bending over to pick up something some one else dropped as a gesture of kindness was recieved kindly.

I found slowing down and asking names, and where are you from, and where is your family, and what are your dreams in life made me FRIENDS.

I found out Friends get lots of attention and great service and lots of respect too.

In fact better attention and more attention and better service and more respect than mere money could buy.

Way to go Proto!
Thanks for the heads up!
If more people would do as you, the world really will be a better place!
Indeed, having mutual respect for others is not only being nice,
it is required in a civilized society!

To not respect others beliefs is just plain wrong.
I know, I have done it myself and therefore narrowed my own views.
-Kind of like having a big bowl of fresh cereal and dumping sour milk on it!

Thank you for calling me out and thus making me a better person!

We should cherish our differences, not go to war over them.

For it makes our society and experience here, all the much more richer.
I know its a hard thing to do sometimes though.
Doing the right thing is rarely easy.
Society does not allow it alot of times either. Thats just wrong.
Why is one persons belief any more or less valid than another's?
I feel we will all get a chance at some point to make things right.
But why take the chance and blow it all now?

We are all citizens of this remarkable planet and we need to realize it
and learn to get along before our hate destroys us all.
The change from barbarisism to the society we long for
really does begin with us. Who else?

When will we learn we have no right to judge others based on anything?
War is too common, especially when settling religious differences.
We have to get over this, we really do.

Thank you for what you are doing and for your posts!
Thank you also for asking my opinion and for your respect of others!
Most of all, thank you for you and for actually doing something about it!
Remember, it literally only takes one person to change the world......
Peace, love and joy to you and to everyone!

btw, I also played in a band in livingston, mt!
Dont remember the name of the club now but it was right downtown.
The band(from idaho) stayed upstairs in these huge apartments!
The club owner actually had a decibel meter mounted on the wall!
Yes we were way too loud! That I remember!

And we played yellowstone, and sydney and williston and havre and polson and, etc....

Yes that's where we played the Double RR Bar and it was an old converted brothel from the 1800's upstairs, that we stayed in. The owners name was
Bob. What a fun town and a fun place to play. Great people!

It's truly a small world isn't it?

That's why I think it's silly to make the differences we all have so huge and big.

You wrote some truly inspirational and very meaningful words in your post that are as loving as they are wise.

Thank you for that and thank you for you!

I just got back from another smaller round of Eid gift giving and made sure to celebrate with the Hebrews by wishing them all a Happy New Years too as
they walked back and forth from their Temples.

They all smiled and wished me Happy New Years back even though I have to wait a few months but it's the thought that counts. (Actually I consider my
New Years to be my Birthday and officially in case anyone cares we are a couple months into year 45 After Protoplasmic Traveler!).

The Muslim shop keeper I took some Pastries and Sesame Candies too was astounded I new it was Eid, all most in a "Oh my G-d who told you it's
supposed to be a secret kind of way", but I knew it was more like a "Wow some white Anglo Saxon Protestant knows and cares" kind of way.

Thank you for your kind words!
Bob,... now I remember!
We just never was quiet enough for him.
We were a rock band after all! (duh)
Never would of guessed the name of the club.
I knew it was a western sounding name though!
Ah, memories!
I also remember a cute little gal from yellowstone I hung out with at the time!

Lots of good times and clubs!

Last night we played a frisbee tournament near here actually!
(yes still playing)
If you're interested I could u2u the band name. We're on myspace.
My bro lives in orlando btw.
Met some way cool people from all over the west.
I often wondered how many may have been on ATS at some point!
We did good and made alot of new friends!

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before
the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

In Judaism, the date palm represents peace and plenty, and is one of the Four Species (Lulav) used in the daily prayers on the feast of Sukkot. It is
bound together with the hadass (myrtle), and aravah (willow) The palm may also symbolize the Tree of Life in Kabbalah.
[edit] Islam

Muhammad is said to have built his home out of palm, and the palm symbolizes rest and hospitality in many cultures of the Middle East.

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